Be proud: Dig into Karachi’s history, unearth its ancient past: speakers
Researcher Azmat Ansari says there is reluctance to acknowledge city's history
A view is seen of a busy street in Karachi. PHOTO: REUTERS
KARACHI:
Karachi is full of history but we are reluctant to acknowledge its ancient past, said Azmat Ansari, an environmentalist, researcher, educationist and playwright.
Ansari, who is known as the man who knows too much, was speaking on Monday at an event held at Embassy hotel to honour him for his meritorious services to society.
According to him, some graves from the Phoenician's era were discovered in Gulistan-e-Jauhar some years ago. It established that the landmass we call Karachi today was inhabited 4,000 years ago, he pointed out, lamenting that the news was suppressed by the authorities for reasons best known to them. Phoenicia was an ancient Semitic thalassocratic civilisation that flourished on the western coastal part of the Fertile Crescent and centered on the coastline of modern Lebanon, Israel, and Syria between 3200-1200 BC.
"A pitcher dug out from the area is now in the custody of the Karachi museum," said Ansari. "It was displayed as 'Object of the Month'."
Ansari felt that facts like these should be highlighted in every textbook of history. "Otherwise we will be justified in thinking that any news or fact that holds Karachi in a favourable light is resented by the people in the corridors of power," he said.
Ansari said that Karachi is full of history. "What stops us from putting up a signboard outside the port at Keamari that says 'This is Alexander's Haven', or a signboard somewhere near Port Qasim saying 'Ibn-e-Batutta stayed here'," he wondered. "A signboard at Sandspit can say 'The Greeks called it Eros', they named it after their god of love. A signboard on Gizri Creek can read 'Nearchus, Alexander's admiral, took the Greek navy out from here'."
Karachi, which has almost the same population as Australia, is not being projected the way it should be, said Ansari. Karachi has 50 universities and institutes of higher education - a fact that should be highlighted, he added.
"I belong to the community of environmentalists, explorers and teachers. I've nothing to do with politics but when I see so many injustices being done to Karachi, I can't remain a silent spectator," he said, adding that God has given Karachi a beautiful sea but Karachi-ites were cruel to seawater and marine life. "We have polluted our sea. For the past many years untreated water is being released into the sea," he pointed out. He suggested establishing a museum of natural history on the lines of New York's Museum of Natural History in Karachi.
Earlier, event organiser Syed Khurshheed Ali said that people who have contributed to society should be acknowledged in their lifetime. "What is the point in taking out supplements and writing eulogies when they are no more," he said. Global Environment Management Services chairperson Dr Samiuz Zaman graced the event as the chief guest.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 22nd, 2016.
Karachi is full of history but we are reluctant to acknowledge its ancient past, said Azmat Ansari, an environmentalist, researcher, educationist and playwright.
Ansari, who is known as the man who knows too much, was speaking on Monday at an event held at Embassy hotel to honour him for his meritorious services to society.
According to him, some graves from the Phoenician's era were discovered in Gulistan-e-Jauhar some years ago. It established that the landmass we call Karachi today was inhabited 4,000 years ago, he pointed out, lamenting that the news was suppressed by the authorities for reasons best known to them. Phoenicia was an ancient Semitic thalassocratic civilisation that flourished on the western coastal part of the Fertile Crescent and centered on the coastline of modern Lebanon, Israel, and Syria between 3200-1200 BC.
"A pitcher dug out from the area is now in the custody of the Karachi museum," said Ansari. "It was displayed as 'Object of the Month'."
Ansari felt that facts like these should be highlighted in every textbook of history. "Otherwise we will be justified in thinking that any news or fact that holds Karachi in a favourable light is resented by the people in the corridors of power," he said.
Ansari said that Karachi is full of history. "What stops us from putting up a signboard outside the port at Keamari that says 'This is Alexander's Haven', or a signboard somewhere near Port Qasim saying 'Ibn-e-Batutta stayed here'," he wondered. "A signboard at Sandspit can say 'The Greeks called it Eros', they named it after their god of love. A signboard on Gizri Creek can read 'Nearchus, Alexander's admiral, took the Greek navy out from here'."
Karachi, which has almost the same population as Australia, is not being projected the way it should be, said Ansari. Karachi has 50 universities and institutes of higher education - a fact that should be highlighted, he added.
"I belong to the community of environmentalists, explorers and teachers. I've nothing to do with politics but when I see so many injustices being done to Karachi, I can't remain a silent spectator," he said, adding that God has given Karachi a beautiful sea but Karachi-ites were cruel to seawater and marine life. "We have polluted our sea. For the past many years untreated water is being released into the sea," he pointed out. He suggested establishing a museum of natural history on the lines of New York's Museum of Natural History in Karachi.
Earlier, event organiser Syed Khurshheed Ali said that people who have contributed to society should be acknowledged in their lifetime. "What is the point in taking out supplements and writing eulogies when they are no more," he said. Global Environment Management Services chairperson Dr Samiuz Zaman graced the event as the chief guest.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 22nd, 2016.